Pigs raised for meat are kept in concrete fattening pens.

Each year, millions of pigs are kept constantly confined by U.S. animal agribusiness. In the wild, pigs root the earth, cool themselves in mud baths, and walk for miles sniffing for food or exploring their surroundings. On factory farms, they’re unable to do much of what is natural to them and are treated as though they are unfeeling, meat-producing or piglet-making machines.

Pregnant sows are kept in gestation crates so small they can’t even turn around.

Sows (female pigs) suffer through constant cycles of pregnancy and nursing, in metal stalls so small the animals can’t even turn around or lie down comfortably during their entire four-month pregnancies.

After giving birth, sows are confined in severely restrictive farrowing crates.

Piglets not used as “breeders” suffer mutilations just as chickens and turkeys do. Confinement in fattening pens—concrete cells housing several pigs—and the unnatural conditions inherent in factory farming result in frustration, boredom, and aggression such as tail biting and fighting. The industry’s response is not to make conditions less inhumane. Instead, factory farmers cut off the tails of baby piglets, punch bits out of their ears, cut off the ends of some of their teeth, and rip out the males’ testicles—excruciating procedures performed without painkillers.

At slaughter, pigs are hung upside down and have their throats slit.

The slaughter of pigs can be horrific. While they are supposed to be stunned before being killed, the procedure is often rushed and imprecise. As a result, pigs are commonly still conscious as workers hang them upside down, slit their throats, cut off their limbs, and rip their skin from their bodies